The Second Chance…Episode 40

Tony felt guilty for leaving Stella alone. But he didnt like the way she spoke ill of Alice. He was angry.

Angry? Oh yes angry.

But why was he angry?

What was that feeling? No, he just pities her.

He drove on.

Then it clicked on his mind that he hadnt seen Maria since yesterday. But he knew she was around.

She left for school before he woke up and go to bed before he comes back from work.

******

Alice knocked on her parents room.

‘come in’ came the voice of her mother from inside.

She opened the door slowly.

‘good morning mum’ she said as she shook like a leaf.

Kofo sighed.

‘leave here’ she said.

‘i’m sorry mother. I know i have wronged you. I allowed myself to be controlled by my grief. I am sorry’

By this time, she was already sobbing.

Kofo beckoned on her to come over and Alice came closer.

‘my dear,’ Kofo said affectionately.

‘its not as if i’m angry at you. Its just that it pains me to think that my own daughter wants to ruin her life because she lost her first love. Really it pains me’ Kofo said.

Alice sobbed.

‘i know that i might not be the perfect mother to you. I also know that i make mistakes. I am not perfect but there’s one thing i know how to do more than anyone. I love you. Thats one thing i can do perfectly, my dear. For all my mistakes and shortcomings, i am sorry’ Kofo said.

She was crying too.

‘oh, mother’ Alice said and threw herself in her mother’s arms.

*********

Nneka came out of her room, peeped around before entering into Maria’s room.

She made sure Rhoda was not closeby. She securely locked the door from the inside.

She flung Maria’s wardrobe open. Brought out a red gown and threw it inside the small earthen pot she was holding. Then she picked another jean trouser and put a black substance into the front pocked and hung it back on the wardrobe.

She took the pot, snuck out of her room and into her own room.

There, she used a white chalk to draw a round circle and knelt in the middle, raised the pot up and was about to incantate when her phone rang.